Warning - Confidence Schemes and Scams - Employment Matters.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is aware of various schemes, being circulated via e-mails, from internet web sites, and via regular mail or fax, falsely stating that they are issued by or associated with the UN or UNHCR. These schemes may seek to extract money and in some cases personal details from the recipients of such correspondence as well as offering assistance in the facilitation of employment opportunities with UNHCR against fees and/or commission. Such schemes are fraudulent.

The schemes may consist of letters, sent either via e-mail, fax, regular mail, or from web sites, which appear as various proposals from people purporting to be officials of the UN or UNHCR. The correspondence and other documents, e-mails addresses and web sites may be made to look like they originate with the UN or UNHCR. For example, they may contain official-looking UN or UNHCR stationery, including the UN or UNHCR emblem or name, or some variation thereof, and e-mail or web site addresses, including either or both of the words "United Nations", “United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees” or some similar name, or the name of a real United Nations entity or fictitious one.

Such schemes, which have no connection whatsoever with the UN or the UNHCR, take many forms. Please be aware that new schemes are appearing with increasing frequency.

Employment Scams

Please be aware that:

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

Offers of employment or job openings with requests for payment of fees are fraudulent.

The scammers' request for the payment of fees may come only after you have accepted the fraudulent offer.

UNHCR does not concern itself with information on bank accounts. Any requests for such payment or information should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action and to UNHCR for its information.

Convocations to e-mail interviews are fraudulent. UNHCR does not conduct interviews via e-mail.

UNHCR does not offer prizes, awards, funds, certificates, scholarships or conduct lotteries through e-mail, mail or fax, nor does it conduct its procurement process through external entities or individuals on a commission basis.

Such use of the United Nations/UNHCR name and emblem or other names or indicia in these schemes is unauthorized and illegal. The relevant authorities will be informed of any such activities, of which the United Nations becomes aware, for appropriate action to be taken by those authorities.

Extreme caution should be exercised in relation to any suspicious communication as financial loss and identity theft could result from the sending of money or personal information to those issuing such fraudulent correspondence.

Any transfer of money or personal information to those issuing such fraudulent correspondence can result in a substantial financial loss and/or identity theft. UNHCR is not responsible for any such loss or theft.